Sacramento Theater Reviews

A glorious two hours to lose yourself and revert to your carefree younger years-that is what Mamma Mia delivers with gusto. It's a sublime soundtrack of the 70's, complete with platform heels and free love. Comprised entirely of songs from the Swedish pop group, ABBA, Mamma Mia transports you from s... (more...)

How far would you go to ensure your child's success? That's the question at the center of this classic 1959 show, which was nominated for 8 Tony Awards. It is based on the 1957 memoir of American burlesque star, Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical focuses on Gypsy's overbearing mother, Mama Rose, and the jo... (more...)

You would never guess it, but Newsies was originally a flop when it came out as a Disney movie in 1992. It gained credibility and a cult following after being released to home video. The stage musical came several years later and opened on Broadway in 2012, where it was nominated for eight Tony Awar... (more...)

Like its locomotive namesake, On the 20th Century reaches out to transport you to a different destination. Although, instead of Chicago or New York, you'll be going to a place of laughter, awe and all-consuming fun. This operetta opened on Broadway in 1978, winning 5 Tony Awards, and was revived in ... (more...)

The Davis Shakespeare Festival opens up their 2018 season with Peter Oswald's modern adaptation of Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart. Set in England in 1586, it explores the relationship between Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I of England. This battle of the Queens sets the stage for an int... (more...)

Sometimes it's risky to bring older musicals back to life-the language, attitudes, and music can be dated and dull to today's audiences; however, the old seems new again with Broadway at Music Circus' take on the classic musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. This fresh staging secures Broadway a... (more...)

'Every Moment Counts' as Director/Choreographer Tony Gonzalez reminds us to embrace the sights and sounds and soak up every second of life as we climb the 'Stairway to Paradise' -- the theme of this year's 'Broadway Under the Stars' by the incomparable Transcendence Theatre Company.... (more...)

Oh, I am happy again after absorbing the season debut at the newly renamed Broadway at Music Circus! Singin' in the Rain is based off of the 1952 movie starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds that is often regarded as the best movie musical ever made. The stage version opened on Broadway in 1985 and... (more...)

In its signature way, Intrepid Theatre Lab has again brought the new and bold to Sacramento. This time they have done it with Baltimore, a work by Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge. Titled such after the poem, 'Incident', by Countee Cullen, it was commissioned in 2014 by the Big Ten Theatre Consor... (more...)

An American in Paris is a gorgeous fusion of dance and classic musical theatre that is based on the 1951 film of the same name. Originally starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, the film won 6 Academy Awards and introduced Gershwin staples such as "I Got Rhythm" and "'S Wonderful." The Broadway versi... (more...)

An endearing message of hope and positivity is what makes Man of La Mancha a timeless classic. It has stayed relevant from its opening on Broadway in 1965 (when it won 5 Tony Awards), through four Broadway revivals, and up to the present day. Now Sacramento is fortunate to have the opportunity to ex... (more...)

Fans of Peter Pan will be thrilled to know that Finding Neverland, the Drama Desk Award-nominated Broadway musical, has arrived in Sacramento! Based upon the play, The Man Who Was Peter Pan, and the Academy Award-winning movie, Finding Neverland, the story follows the perennial young-at-heart J.M. B... (more...)

Bawdy, blasphemous, brilliant and blithe! The Book of Mormon has returned after a two year absence and Sacramento is ready! The winner of 9 Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon is a hilarious depiction of the Mormon religion by the creators of South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) and Avenue Q (Robert ... (more...)

Director Casey McClellan, fresh off of a Broadway World Best Director win for The Diary of Anne Frank, brings the Scottish play to Sacramento Theatre Company with a creative spin on the dark and supernatural elements of the show. For those who are not familiar with MacBeth, it is arguably one of Sha... (more...)

Fresh off of the 12th longest run in Broadway history, Jersey Boys returns to Sacramento after a four year absence. Jersey Boys is the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award winning biographical account of the rise and fall of the musical powerhouse, The Four Seasons. Baby boomers arrived en masse to the... (more...)

Musical theatre lovers, rejoice! The Musical of Musicals-the Musical! has returned to Sacramento and promises an evening of melodrama, satire, and comedy. Composed by the co-creator of last season's The Donner Party, Eric Rockwell, with lyrics by Joanne Bogart, the show parodies some of Broadway's g... (more...)

In 1848, a Lutheran scholar named Samuel Mosheim Schmucker first raised the question as to how an uneducated and untraveled man such as William Shakespeare could have penned 37 plays and 154 sonnets that dealt with subjects that he should have no knowledge of. Since then many people have cast their ... (more...)

During the holiday season, many people flock to church to find solace, seek forgiveness, practice introspection, and soak up lessons on how to live their lives. Something about this time of year encourages all of us to examine how we have conducted ourselves the previous 11 months. Theatre has been ... (more...)

There is a new standard for musical theatre in town, and it has been set by composer David Taylor-Gomes. His original work was showcased in a one-night-only concert entitled, The Boxed Up Binge , featuring songs and snippets from his larger project, Boxed Up the Musical.... (more...)

Sacramento Theatre Company is a regional treasure, unique in the fact that they support and develop local talent. Each season they produce an original work by an area artist. Their 2017-18 season theme of Fate, Fantasy and Forgiveness currently features a play by Sacramento native Ryan Patrick Nill ... (more...)

Beautiful-The Carole King Musical is more than a jukebox musical. It's a very personal glimpse into the life of a woman who shaped American music. It's a story of sanguinity, heartbreak, and redemption. Carole King's tale is touching and empowering and will resonate with anyone who has ever had thei... (more...)

Director Casey McClellan again brings a World War II era piece to the Sacramento Theatre Company and makes it relevant to what we are experiencing today. Like last season's The Glass Menagerie, The Diary of Anne Frank deals with the human emotions brought on by betrayal, loss, and, ultimately, hope.... (more...)

Dancing, singing, bad-guy-catching nuns? You can't go wrong with that combination! Based on the 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act the musical is a feel-good, rousing testament to the power of sisterhood set in 70's funk, soul and disco.... (more...)

With more than 900 wineries combined, Napa Valley and Sonoma County are truly a wine lover's paradise. But more than wine, these regions offer the best of Northern California, including miles of Pacific coastline, towering redwoods, breathtaking views, luxury resorts and spas, world class restauran... (more...)

Intrepid Theatre Lab, comprised of artistic director Casey McClellan and producer Greg Foro, made its Sacramento debut with Cock, a play by Mike Bartlett. Double entendres aside, this is a play that is not actually about cock (ok, maybe a little), but rather about being labeled and put into a box. I... (more...)